Journal lubricator



Jan. 24, 1961 H. R. sTlNE JOURNAL LUBRICATOR Filed Maly 14, 1959 FIG. Z

FIG. 5

INVENTOR HOMER R. STNE A ORNEY Unite This invention relates to the lubrication of the journals of railway cars, and more particularly to a novel type of lubricator pad for insertion into a journal box on such cars between the journal surface and the adjacent bottom and side wall portion of the box.

Since the packing of journal boxes with cotton waste previously was responsible for almost 90% of hot boxes or bearing failures, cotton waste type lubricators are fast being replaced.

Through years of experience in railroad work, as well as through actual experimentation with various types of journal lubricators, and the testing of such lubricators in actual use, I have concluded that the chief cause of hot boxes or bearing failures today is dust entering the journal box and creating what I term dust glaze, which is an accumulation of dust on at least a portion of that surface of the lubricator pad which periodically contacts the surface of the journal.

During operation of a railroad car at high speeds, high velocity air currents are created in the vicinity of the journal boxes, and dust enters the boxes and settles on al1 exposed surfaces, including those surfaces of the lubricator pads which are immediately adjacent the journal. As is well known to those familiar with this art a journal may move as much as B" to 1/2 fore or aft, or up or down, with relation to the walls of the journal box. Such journal movement may be occasioned by severe road impact, by a sudden stoppage of the car, by a reversal in direction of car travel, etc. When direction of travel is reversed, for instance, a journal may move aft in its box 1/2. This means that a portion of the aft lubricator pad which has not previously been in contact with the journal, now comes into actual journal contact. Since the mentioned portion of the lubricator has previously been exposed to settling dust, the dust glazed portion which is now in contact with the journal surface wipes lubricant fro-m the journal, and causes bearing failure or hot box.

It is a primary object of this invention to provide a lubricator which embodies its own com-pressible resilient means for continuously maintaining an adequate portion of its surface in lubricating contact with the journal, regardless of the mentioned relative journal movement.

Another primary object is to provide a lubricator which is so shaped and constructed that it will be periodically moved or rotated a slight distance about an axis parallel to and adjacent the journal, such movement being accomplished by the frictional contact between the surface of the rotating journal and the surface of the lubricator. Such rotation is in a direction which brings a fresh and previously unused portion of the lubricator surface into contact with the journal surface-a surface portion which has previously been submerged in oil in the lower part of the journal box. Such lubricator rotation is also in a direction to move a dust glazed portion of the lubricator pad away from the immediately adjacent journal surface so that it cannot come into contact with the journal surface the next time the journal shifts in its box. Such partial rotation of my pad is neither constant nor predictable. Instead it is periodic, erratic and unpredictable, and depends on variables such as temperature changes, air humidity, frost, condensation in the journal box, etc., as well as on the roughness of car handling, frequency of reversal in direction of car travel, etc. Nevertheless, such partial rotation occurs with suflicient frequency and to a arent Ffa 2,969,261 Patented Jan. 24, 1961 sufficient degree to prevent a previously dust glazed p0rtion ofthe lubricator surface from coming in contact with the journal surface.

My invention will be more clearly understood when the following description is read in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a longitudinal sectional view showing my lubricator pads installed in operating position in a conventional journal box, the view being taken along the line 1-1 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 2 is a transverse sectional view taken along the line 2 2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged transverse sectional view through my lubricator showing details of construction;

Fig. 4 is a schematic sectional view illustrating the effect of relative journal movement on my lubricator pads, when in operative position; and

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of my lubricator with a portion thereof cut away and removed to show details of construction.

Referring to the drawing my journal lubricating pad comprises: a wick-like, absorbent, exible and compressible outer cover 10 in the form of a generally cylindrical sleeve, preferably open at both ends; an inner core 11 of oil resistant or oil resistant compressible, porous and highly resilient material, such as minute celled sponge rubber made from Buna-N rubber, interspersed with randomly distributed strands 12 of yarn, wicking or heavy but soft absorbent thread, to increase the wick action of the core, such core extending from end to end of the cover sleeve 10; a central longitudinally disposed tube 13 exten-ding from end to end of the core 11 and encircled thereby, the tube wall being of a resilient oil resistant material, such -as Buna-N rubber, and having numerous closely spaced perforations therethrough; and suitable handles, preferably of heavy canvas duck, in the form of cross straps 14 and 15 spanning each end of the cover sleeve 10, and sewed or riveted firmly to the sleeve ends at diametrically opposite locations. Such straps also serve to prevent movement of the tube and core with relation to each other and with relation to the sleeve. It will be understood that the length of the assembled lubricator is substantially equal to the length of the journal to be lubricated.

The sleeve or cover 10 is preferably made from several thick layers of terry cloth toweling formed into a thick blanket with two of its opposite edges sewed together in a at seam, as at 16, Fig. 3, to provide a relatively smooth outer surface free of any bumps or protuberances which might interfere with the periodic partial rotation of the lubricator pad when it is in lubricating position in the journal box. The sleeve may, however, be made of any other suitable material which is wear resistant and iiexible and which will serve asa wick to deliver oil to the journal surface.

The central tube 13 does not have to be circular in cross section, as shown. The purpose of this tube is to give an added and secondary resilience to the core as a whole. The sponge rubber wall of the core is compressed transversely when the lubricator is positioned in the journal box, as shown in Fig. 2, between the journal and the adjacent wall of the box. A portion of the cornpression force is transmitted by the sponge rubber to the central tube 13, and the llexible resilient wall of this tube is compressed and deformed to a lesser degree,but because its resistance to a compressive force is greater, it backs up or aids the sponge rubber core in maintaining an adequate area of the sleeve surface in lubricating contact with the journal 24, as explained below.

The minute perforations through the wall of tube 13 aid in distributing oil from the bottom of the journal to all parts of sponge rubber core 11.

The end straps or handles 14 and 15 are sewed to the respective ends of sleeve after core 11 and tube 13 have been inserted therein, the stitching being indicated `at 18. Installation and removal Before installing my lubricator in a journal box 23, Figs. l and 2, it should be submerged in warm oil until sleeve 10 is thoroughly saturated. Either end of the pad is then inserted into the box opening and compressed to ease it into the space between the journal 24 and the adjacent wall 25 of the box. Two such lubricators are so installed in the relative positions shown in Fig. 2, one on eachside of the center of the journal box. They extend lengthwise from journal collar 26 to shoulder 27, which is the length of the bearing 28, to be lubricated. To remove the pads it is only necessary to grasp the nearest handle strap 14 or 15 and pull.

Operation As will be understood, the journal box is llled with oil to a level below the journal surface, as indicated by the numeral 29. The sleeve material acts as a wick and continuously feeds oil from the bottom of the journal box to the rotating surface of journal 24.

As previously explained, and as illustrated schematically in Fig. 4, the journal will at times move with relation to the walls of the journal box during car operation. When the car is started in the direction indicated by arrow 30 the journal moves aft and assumes the relative position shown in solid lines. This further compresses lubricator 31 and increases journal friction on the surface of that lubricator. The increased friction causes lubricator 31 to rotate several degrees counterclockwise. This brings a small portion of previously unused lubricator Surface into contact with the journal surface, and moves a like portion of lubricator surface, which has previously been exposed to dust, away from the journal surface.

Simultaneously the compressive force of the journal on lubricator 32 is reduced, so that lubricator has little tendency to rotate at that time. Its inherent resilience, however, due to core 11 and tube 13, causes it to expand and maintain lubricating contact with the journal surface.

When the car reaches its destination and begins its return trip in the opposite direction, journal 24 may move to the position shown in broken lines in Fig. 4. Friction against the surface of lubricator 32 is increased, and against lubricator 31 reduced. Lubricator 32 is thus rotated several degrees clockwise about its own long axis, with the result previously described.

Thus no part of the lubricator which has been exposed to settling dust in the upper part of the journal box comes into surface contact with the journal, and the greatest cause of present day hot boxes is eliminated.

From the above it will be seen that I haveprovided a lubricator construction which is sufllciently resilient to maintain an adequate lubricating surface area against the journal at all times regardless of journal movement, and a lubricator which is self-rotating and which always rotates in a direction to move dust laden surfaces away from Contact with the journal surface.

Having described the invention with sulllcient clarity to enable those familiar with this art to construct and use it, I claim:

l. In a journal assembly which includes a journal which extends through an end wall of and into a journal box which has a liquid lubricant well below the journal, elongated self-rotating lubricator means for transversely compressed positioning between the journal surface and a wall of said lubricant well for conducting lubricant from the well onto the journal surface, said lubricator means comprising: at least one elongated hollow tube of flexible, resilient oil resistant material having minute closely spaced perforations through its wall over substantially its entire wall area; a generally right cylindrical thick walled core having a central bore throughout its length encompassing said tube from end to end, said core being sponge-like in structure, and of a resilient oil resistant material and therefore resiliently compressible; a combination lubricant wick and cover encompassing said core throughout its length, said cover being in the form of a thick walled flexible cylindrical sleeve of highly absorbent material; and a handle strap spanning each end of said sleeve across the ends of said core and tube and llrmly secured to the respective sleeve ends, said straps serving both as handles for the entire lubricator and as means to prevent any material longitudinal movement of the core and tube with relation to each other and with relation to the sleeve. v

2L The lubricator described in claim 1 in which the 'sponge-like material of which said core is made is interspersed with strands of absorbent wick-like material.

3. In a journal assembly which includes a journal which extends through an end wall of and into a journal box which has a liquid lubricant well below the journal, elongated self-rotating lubricator means for transversely compressed positioning between the journal surface and a wall of said lubricant well for conducting lubricant from the well onto the journal surface, said lubricator means comprising: at least one elongated hollow tube of ilexible, resilient oil resistant material having substantial resilient resistance to deformation by a transversely applied force; a generally right cylindrical thick walled porous and resilient core surrounding and encasing said tube from end to end, said core being sponge-like in structure and having closely spaced minute cells throughout, and of a. resilient oil resistant material and therefore resiliently compressible by a predetermined transversely applied force and to a greater degree than is the hollow tube; and a combination lubricant wick and cover surrounding and encasing said core from end to end, said cover being in the form of a thick walled flexible cylindrical sleeve of highly absorbent material having a Wick-like action A in liquid, and having a bumpless, protuberance-free outer surface to present minimum interference to periodic partial rotation of the lubricator about its own long axis when in transversely compressed lubricating position between the journal and journal box wall.

4. The lubricator described in claim 3 in which the sponge-like core is interspersed with strands of absorbent wick-like material to increase the wicking action of the entire lubricator.

5. The lubricator described in claim 3 in which the wall of said tube has numerous closely spaced perforations therethrough.

6. The lubricator described in claim 1 wherein the elongated, hollow tube possesses a greater degree of resistance to deformation by transversely applied force of predetermined value than does the material of the cylindrical thick-walled core surrounding said tube.

7. A lubricator for railway car journal boxes comprising a central hollow tubular member of flexible oil resistant material having substantial resistance to deformation by a transversely applied force, a generally cylindrical thick-walled porous core member of sponge-like oil resistant material surrounding the hollow tubular member substantially from end to end thereof and possessing a lesser degree of resistance to deformation by transversely applied force than does said hollow tubular member, and a generally cylindrical thick sleeve-like member of oil absorbent wicking material snugly fitted over the sponge-like core member and presenting a substantially bumpless, protuberance-free outer surface for contact with a journal to be lubricated.

References Cited in the ille of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,859,074 Dilg Nov. 4, 1958 

